Progeny
by pink.chocolate.unicorn
Summary: Dean and Cas had a one night stand while Dean was passing through town as a teenager, and ten years later, gets tracked down by his and Cas' resourceful daughter. (AU. ABO fic. Destiel. Male slash. Mpreg. Rated M; mature content and language.)
1. Chapter 1

_(A/N: Rated **M** for mature content and language._

_Well, this came from a prompt I saw somewhere [SPNkinkmeme? I dunno, can't remember. Don't sue me!]. Something along the lines of: _A/B/O Dean and Cas had a one night stand while Dean was passing through town as a teenager, and ten years later, gets tracked down by his and Cas' resourceful daughter. Dean discovers that while their night together had been purely casual on his part, Cas had been hoping to get Mated (and hopefully) pregnant by an Alpha so that he would be considered "impure" and not be forced to marry the douche-bag Alpha his older brother Michael was trying to sell him off to.

_I couldn't help myself... so many yeses for me in there. I had it half written before I even started. heh It's another ABO (Alpha-Beta-Omega) fic, and there will be mentions of mpreg, so X out if either of those squicks you out/isn't your bag/something you "don't get"—you just won't enjoy this. Features Alpha!Dean and Omega!Castiel since that was part of the prompt. (I really like/have a bit of a soft spot/fetish for Omega!Dean... *sigh* One day I'll write that.) Flashbacks will be fairly common, mostly relevant, and interspersed throughout [in italics] so hopefully that'll help clear up any confusion as we go along._

__Oh. And I have a poll up on my profile, just for funsies, so check it out? Maybe? Vote early and often! heh__

_Warnings/tags: MalexMale slash. AU. A/B/O. Alpha/Omega pairing. Male pregnancy (non-graphic). Child abandonment (unwilling/unknowing). Mentions of: knotting, self-lubrication, Mating, Heat cycles, all that ABO trope-y stuff. And fluff! (Domestic-y, grossly adorable fluff.)  
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_Enjoy.)_

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><p>Dean Winchester stared at the 9-year-old girl scowling up at him with tiny fists planted on small hips, stunned into silence. He'd managed to smash down the strong urge to do a goldfish impersonation, mainly because his mouth just sort of stayed open in a stupid gape. He finally snapped it closed, but he was finding it a little difficult to form words and his mouth opened and a closed a few times uselessly.<p>

He tried, several times, but no actual words came out. Because, seriously? He couldn't have heard the little pipsqueak right...

"You're my—" Dean finally managed, his voice sounding like he'd been choked. He rubbed a hand over his mouth as he cleared his throat, but it didn't help much. "I'm your— _What_?"

"You're my father."

Dean blinked a few times. Shook his head lightly.

Nope. The pup was still there.

Still glaring at him, small posture demanding, chin lifted defiantly, green eyes intense and narrowed just enough to look a little familiar. He was tempted to poke her to make sure she wasn't some whiskey-induced hallucination. But he knew better than to touch a strange pup. Not to mention he was, regrettably, stone-cold sober and knew this wasn't anything but reality.

He smothered the hysterical urge to wheeze theatrically and make 'Luke, I am your father' jokes. Because, yeah, not exactly funny right now...

Dean held his hands up, "Listen, kid—"

"Grace," she interrupted, frowning. This was the second time she'd told him her name. Couldn't he remember such a simple thing? He didn't look _that_ stupid.

Dean fought the urge to roll his eyes. He put on his most charming smile and held his hands a little closer to his body because she kind of looked like a biter... "Uh huh. Listen, _Grace_, I'm not your father. Okay? I don't know why—"

"Yes. You _are_," Grace insisted, getting into Dean's personal space as best she could. She had one picture of her other father and this Alpha goober matched it perfectly—accounting for a few years of aging, that was. She leaned in even closer and Scented him, not bothering to be subtle about it, her nose nearly touching his crotch because it was the closest spot she could reach for a strong scent. Even his scent was familiar enough to hers to let her know she wasn't wrong.

She_ knew_ she wasn't wrong... no matter how many times he gave her 'you're crazy' eyes or denied it. Even if she was getting a little freaked out by the Alpha's reaction, denial but thankfully not violent, it didn't fully diminish the happy feeling in her chest or the excitement of finally finding him. She just stared back, patient and calm as he worked through... whatever he needed to work through.

Dean's hands flew up, fluttering with an embarrassing sort of useless gesture as he quickly took two steps back so he didn't do anything stupid like push her away or smack her nose. He nearly looked around to make sure there weren't people around to scream 'pervert' at him.

"Woah there, short stuff!" he said, waving his hands a little. "It's not polite to just go around sniffing at people's junk." The pup just stared back, completely unimpressed about being told what was polite or not. He tried to ignore the way she reminded him of Sam a little—she really could pull off a decent pint-sized 'bitch face'—and glared right back. Even if he did feel kind of ridiculous having a staring match with a pup.

And in less than a minute he was panicking a little on the inside when he realized he was starting to crumble under that look, his mighty Alpha stare of doom falling. The furrow between dark little eyebrows deepened and he was _this close_ to agreeing to whatever she wanted—_anything_, as long as she just stopped looking so damn disgruntled with him.

Oh god, no.

He was a damn Alpha, for fuck's sake; Alphas weren't supposed to succumb to tiny, demanding hellions with imperious tones and mini bitch-faces. _Strange_, tiny, demanding hellions that made wild accusations, no less. It made a few alarm bells go off inside his head that a 'strange' pup could have such an affect on him; this was more than just the usual reaction he had around pups.

Dean grunted and ran a hand over his face, suddenly wishing he hadn't gone out for pie. And if that just didn't take the cream out of his Twinkie, he didn't know what could... Besides the Apocalypse. Or that cardboardy, organic bran shit Sammy tried to give him last week instead of his Lucky Charms. He nearly shuddered at the memory but was quick to return his attention to the tiny terror staring up at him. It took an effort not to fidget like a wayward pup under that intense stare.

"Okay, fine," he said with a defeated sounding sigh, throwing his hands up. He was so not going to stand there and argue with a freakin' pup. "What makes you think I'm your father?" he asked, injecting as much sarcasm and disbelief into his tone as humanly possible.

"My mom told me so. And you look like him," Grace added, holding up a picture. It was an old Polaroid; well worn, the white part almost soft and crinkly. Obviously, it had been handled quite a bit over the years. The top left corner was bent and permanently creased. She shoved it forward, making Dean take it or risk it falling. Thankfully, reflexes kicked in and the photo was taken in large, but careful, fingers the moment she let go of it instead of it fluttering to the sidewalk. She watched intently as Dean studied the picture. She nodded slowly when his mouth fell open, eyes widening.

That was another thing, she realized; they had the same eyes. Shape. Color. It was one thing to know something—she'd been told often enough she had her father's eyes—but another to _see_ it. It was... kinda cool.

"Oh shit," Dean breathed out, feeling faint. And slightly nauseated. He stared at the picture, catching himself before he could stroke a finger over the image of that long-ago Omega. Castiel. _Cas_. He vaguely remembered his brother taking the picture, jumping out of his room like a freakin' ninja when they were trying to quietly make their way past his door that next morning. He had wondered what happened to it... He'd looked for it for weeks, subtly and quietly. And when he still hadn't found it, he'd resorted to threatening Sam daily in case his brother had squirreled it away for whatever reason.

His brows wrinkled with confusion and he forced his gaze off the picture to look at Grace. "Woah. Wait—What? _Mom_?" he asked, gaze going back to the picture. He knew for a fact the Omega in the picture, the one he remembered, was male.

Gloriously, wonderfully _male_.

Grace shrugged. "Uncle Gabe started called him that to be a pest and it just sorta stuck." She'd always used the word 'mom' and most people didn't think anything of it, probably because he was an Omega so it wasn't exactly wrong, if you didn't get hung-up on that sort of thing. Dean just nodded and went back to staring at the picture. She decided not to comment on the way he was gently holding the picture now, his pinky finger making slow sweeping motions along the back of it. She knew Alphas didn't appreciate moments of sentimentality being pointed out. (Which she thought was silly but she figured it was just one of those 'Alpha things' she'd probably never understand but learned to do anyway.)

She continued to study the Alpha as he stared at the picture. There was only a tiny smile on his lips, but it still managed to reach all the way up his face and made his eyes warm and happy. His posture was nicer than before, too; more relaxed and no longer tense and slightly posturing. She was taking it as a good sign. She leaned in closer, trying to get his attention. It didn't work. She had to tug gently on his sleeve a few times before he looked away from the picture. "He also said you didn't know about me."

"No," Dean murmured, most of his attention on the picture and memories that were nearly 10 years old. He slowly looked up and met identical green eyes. He felt something squirm uncomfortably and tighten his chest. He might've done some shady shit in his day, but he'd never have abandoned an Omega knocked up with his pup if he'd known about it.

He swallowed a few times, a lump trying to clog his throat. "I didn't," he said hoarsely, shaking his head and trying not to sound defensive because she didn't seem to be making any sort of accusations—just stating it; like an unimportant, but factual, thing.

And if he _had_ known? He honestly didn't know _what_ he would've done, but he hoped to hell he would've met his pup long before now. He hadn't exactly lead an ideal, apple pie kinda life, but pack was important and he wouldn't have abandoned his pup if he'd known. It just went against nearly every instinct he had as an Alpha—and as a Winchester. Even if the circumstances were less than... ideal, he would've done _something_ if Castiel had told him.

He didn't know whether to be extremely fucking pissed the Omega hadn't bothered to tell him he had a pup out there in the world or depressed he'd missed so much. He was teetering between the two and he was already getting a freakin' headache. And his stupid brain helpfully supplying images of what Cas would've looked like, fat and round and perfect, or Grace as a wobbly, fat, pink little pup was really not helping.

It wasn't like he would've done something stupid like demand a Mating Bond, even if he did wind up really liking the Omega; that was a big ass thing that no one should do just because their hormones hijacked their brains (and bodies) for a bit. And he was positive he wouldn't be _that Alpha_ that demanded Cas get rid of the pup like a prideful sack of dicks, knowing some Alphas preferred that to sticking around when they'd accidentally pupped.

He never would've set out to pup an Omega, never would've made Cas do anything he didn't want to... But he would've asked what Cas wanted and done the right thing if he'd had known.

It wasn't like he didn't care... As soon as he'd been dumb enough to kiss the Omega, it had been something more than just a one night stand—at least on his end. But he knew he'd been the only one to feel that way when the Omega fucked off the next morning without so much as a backward glance. He'd never before, or since, wanted more than just one night with anyone.

It wasn't like he didn't remember that night. Still.

Ω

_The thick scent of aroused Omega. Soft gasps and moans. Low-pitched whimpers of need._

_Dean felt drunk just off the the sounds, tastes and feel of the Omega under his hands. His own instincts were getting hard to ignore and he couldn't help himself; he started nipping at a tanned neck, teasing at the hint of a Claiming bite, his hands wrapping around slim hips possessively. Cas squirmed and moaned, encouraging him with each sound and move. _

_He was saying those typical Alpha-in-Rut things; telling Cas he was gorgeous, beautiful, how awesome he smelled, that he was gonna be knotted and bred up properly—all those Alpha-brain-deep things he wouldn't ever say under normal circumstances. Things he didn't say to a Beta, things he was usually able to suppress and bite back and swallow with heated kisses.  
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_Another reason he avoided Omegas: They made his brain leak out of his dick and he didn't seem capable of thinking with anything but his knot. _

_Especially _this_ Omega.  
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_It didn't help one fucking bit that Cas was making all those _sounds_ and nodding along, pressing closer and yanking insistently on his ears and hair, the pungent scent of pheromone-rich slick heavy and almost cloying. Dean groaned with each press of heated skin, vision hazy even as it focused on Cas' presented neck; tanned but lightly pink, flushed with Heat and arousal.  
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_Castiel yanked at Dean's hair, surprising the Alpha into yelping and jerking away a little. "Do not tease me," he demanded. This was his first time and he thought he'd want something drawn out, sensual and tender like in those sappy movies Gabriel enjoyed watching. But now that he was here? His Heat and the intoxicating scent and power of Alpha and _Dean_ seemed to override every other urge but to _Mate. breed. Be claimed._ He needed Dean and the faster that happened, the better._

_He felt a moments regret for his earlier demand slash promise of 'just tonight'. A tiny part of him whimpered, saddened he wouldn't get to keep this Alpha with his strong, gentle hands, bright smile and kind eyes. And amazing scent. He jammed his face in Dean's neck again, pressing his nose along the jumping pulse point and inhaling deeply, dragging his tongue slowly upwards until he hit stubble. He wanted to memorize that scent, even if it was a foolish, sentimental thing. He left a few nipping kisses along the way, humming with satisfaction at each moaned curse and bucking of hips._

_Castiel hissed through his teeth as their clothed erections made contact again. The drag of denim against polyester was strangely arousing. The large hands around his hips tightened and lifted him a little, but he could tell it was a good sign; Dean seemed to like that he wasn't going meekly. He pushed back and nearly smiled when Dean made that guttural moan of pleasure again and hands slid around to palm and knead his butt.  
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_He gasped, eyes closing with a helpless sound he couldn't care about making when Dean's fingers dipped inwards, pressing gently but insistently, rubbing in a way that made him buck forward and grind backwards at the same time. Wanting more, needing more than just the tantalizing tease through two thin layers of fabric. He surprised himself, reveling in the way his body responded to Dean; his body heating up, the clench and release, and the increase of that slick feeling. _

Ω

Dean glanced at the picture again. He might've remembered that mind-scrambling scent. Seeing the Omega in his memories long after he'd left his bed, feeling a curious weighted ache of longing and _want_ in various parts of his body whenever he saw happy couples.

He might've remembered dark messy hair, insanely blue eyes, toned legs and whispered words of encouragement—ruining any attempts he might've made at watching porn for weeks. Months. _Years_. God help him if the Omegas were lithe, dark haired beauties...

He might've remembered, with that familiar sense of pained disappointment, that slight hope that the Omega hadn't actually meant "just tonight" when their kisses were more than just for the sake of kissing. When Sam talked about the blonde Beta he was dating, how awesome and amazing she was. When Sam's awkward attempts at dating turned into a relationship, which lead to a full-out Mate Bond and marriage proposal... He might've had to swallow a hard lump of bitterness at his missed opportunity before being able to give his younger brother his sincerest congratulations and an affectionate arm punch.

He might've swallowed that sense of disappointment (and a whiskey or three) that he hadn't been able to keep a Heat addled Omega in his bed for more than a few hours when he saw the happily Mated pairs at his brother's wedding. Thankfully, his best man speech hadn't been slurred or steeped in resentment. Sammy didn't deserve his shit on his special day.

He might've regretted respecting Castiel's promise of 'just tonight'—not tracking the Omega down and claiming him properly like his urges demanded he do.

He definitely remembered that Cas _left; _slipped away during a moment of distraction so he had missed a final goodbye, a kiss that might've changed everything. It was the worst sort of poetic justice, considering how many motel rooms and strange beds he'd slipped out of. He'd been too damn pheromone addled to care at the time. Too buzzed and Mating hormone stupid to realize what he was letting slip through his fingers.

Dean slowly held the picture out, wiggling it a little until Grace took it back and pocketed it carefully. He rubbed at his face, tipping his head back a little with a deep sigh.

Ω

_"Goddammit, Cas," Dean groaned. He leaned back only enough to paw at Cas' clothes, panting in sharp little gasps as he tore and fumbled with buttons, zippers and stupid fabric. He was usually more dextrous and suave about this kind of thing, skilled in the art of slowly stripping his lover with precise moves intended to arouse and incite. But Cas' eagerness and overwhelming scent of arousal was short-circuiting his brain. He needed skin_—now. _He grunted with pleasure when he finally got Cas' many layers off enough he was able to run his hands all along smooth, warm skin. He liked the hint of muscle definition, drawing his fingertips along lithe muscles appreciatively. _

_He liked his Omegas just like this; strong and gorgeous. A hint of curves amidst the masculine lines, softness in all the right spots had him growling softly with pleasure, not even bothering to tamp down the Alpha sound. Pebbled nipples distracted him for a moment and he pinched and palmed them, sliding his hands all over as he watched each reaction with a keen eye. Cas' head flopped back with a guttural moan, back arching as he made a low-pitched keening sound and Dean matched the sound.  
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_Fuck, that was sexy._

_Castiel grunted back and tried to get his hands out of his sleeves so he could touch Dean as well. He wriggled in frustration and Dean finally snapped out of his groping long enough to tear the fabric from his arms and immediately work on his pants. He moved his hips, happy to get out of his slick-soaked undergarments and that much closer to being naked and mounted by Dean._

_He blinked when the Alpha paused long enough for him to watch green eyes dilate and Dean's mouth opened slightly, no doubt Scenting him. Oh. His Scent Blockers must have worn off. He didn't care; they'd served their purpose and now he was almost giddy with the realization that Dean could scent him _properly_ now. He made a soft noise to get Dean's attention back to the task at hand. He couldn't exactly be knotted and bred if Dean was struck immobile by his Heat pheromones. _

_"Dean," Castiel whined softly, palming at Dean's chest. He'd be annoyed at having to use such a tone, hating the weak sound of it just a little, but it worked, so he figured it was acceptable._

_"Holy shit," Dean groaned, fingers splaying out and pressing into the wall next to Cas' head. His eyes closed and his head dropped, his chin nearly hitting his chest. He nearly whimpered when he realized he was on the verge of trembling, losing his cool like some Heat-scent addled Knot-head. He couldn't believe this— _

_"You're in Heat," he breathed out, voice a choked whisper. _

_Part of him wanted to scramble away. Omegas in a full-blown Heat were _fertile _and his rapidly diminishing logical brain wanted no parts of that. But the bigger part of him wanted to lift Cas by the hips, yank off those stupid fussy pants all the way and slam home until he was buried deep and tight, sealed in, knotted and flooding Cas' hot lithe body with his seed._

_Dean shook his head, trying to regain his senses. It didn't work—he only managed to get more of Cas' scent and he groaned again. He forced himself to look Cas in the eye, a finger on the Omega's chin to make him maintain eye contact. Up until this point, Cas had been big on intense eye-contact but now he was blushing and averting his eyes. The unconsciously submissive gesture made him groan again, want to box Cas in, cover him properly with his body like an Alpha should and just _take_... _

_But he shook it off, breathing past the slight dizziness. "You're in Heat," he said again, not even bothering to mask the accusation and desperation in his tone.  
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_"Yes," Castiel said softly, nodding a little. He couldn't move his head much; Dean's gentle but insistent touch made it difficult to look away. He was a little confused by the reaction; most Alphas would have leapt at an Omega in Heat. Had him in pressed into a presenting position, pinned, and mounted by now. Shouldn't they be moments away from tying? He was ready, squirming a little at the new sensation of increased slick production and what felt like a low-grade fever running through his body, making his skin sing and tingle everywhere their bodies pressed together. It was different than his usual Heat and he was pretty sure that was because he'd never been near an Alpha during one before. It was... overwhelming. Exhilarating.  
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_But instead of any man-handling and animalistic coupling, Dean was practically trembling, panting, wide-eyed and visibly restraining himself. He slowly stroked a hand down Dean's back, nearly purring at the feeling of sweat-damp skin, stretched taut and lovely over coiled muscles. Dean made the most wonderful sound, his chest vibrating with it, and nosed at his neck for a brief moment before jerking away again.  
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_Castiel petted along Dean's damp flank, enjoying the feeling of soft-hard muscle under his heated palm. Dean was s_uch a lovely Alpha._ He would've like to've kept him._

_"I don't think—" Dean started, arms trembling with the effort of holding himself away from the Omega's heated body and intoxicating scent. Son of a bitch, it was hard...  
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_Castiel surged forward and cut off Dean's words with a hard, messy kiss. He arched into it, pressing his body against Dean's, winding his fingers in short sweat-spiked hair and pulling just enough to make Dean pant a growl against his mouth, nipping his bottom lip. He hummed with satisfaction when Dean's hands gripped him tight and they were suddenly sprawled out on a bed. He deepened the kiss, relishing the dominating yet almost gentle way Dean's mouth and tongue worked at his. He wriggled free just enough to be able to spread himself out under the Alpha, presenting as best he could in the tight space. _

_He rolled his hips upwards, sweat, pre-come and slick making a mess of the comforter and Dean's still-clothed groin. "Need it. Want you," he whispered, tugging at Dean's ears and trying to wriggle closer. Dean's arms were rigid, elbows locked, and he didn't get any closer. He lifted a leg and slid it along the back of Dean's, his toes pressing in and gripping. "Please, Alpha."  
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_Dean shuddered, eyes closing with a soft groan. He didn't normally get off on that kind of thing, being called _Alpha_ usually kinda ticked him off... But hearing it now? In Cas' deep, breathy voice? The need? The subtle begging he knew would get down-right desperate if he let it? He really liked it. He knew he was royally fucked but he couldn't find it in himself to care at the moment. His hands were moving of their own accord and he was not at all surprised to hear the seams of his jeans give as he tore at them. _

_He peeked down at Cas and he nearly whimpered, the last shred of his restraint puffing away as he took in the sight of the flushed Omega under him; darkened eyes wide, hair wild and body flushed. Perfect body open and vulnerable, practically oozing arousal and _want. need. mate._ All for him. Jesus, why had he been about to squirm away from that? Cas was a big boy; he knew what he wanted and he wasn't doing the Omega any favors by being a knot-tease, now was he?  
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_"Alright, sweetheart," Dean murmured softly, arms finally bending so he could get closer and let Cas drag him into another kiss. His hips hitched forward when the Omega used teeth and that wicked, agile tongue. He pulled back just enough to gulp in a breath, their mouths brushing lightly as he spoke. "I got you."_

_This time when the Omega's hips rolled and back arched, all that slick-sticky mess was on _him_. He groaned into Cas' neck as their cocks slid against each other, hot and sticky with pre-come and a little of Cas' slick because the Omega was a fucking mess with it_—_practically _gushing _it. An obscene little puddle was already forming and soaking into the bedding under him. He made a guttural sound when Cas' legs wrapped around his hips, heels digging into his ass and giving the Omega a bit more leverage to hump up into him. He pushed Cas back into the bed with a hand to the shoulder and slid down his body._

_Castiel watched, feeling fevered enough to wonder if he was imagining things. But, no; Dean, _an Alpha_, was really wriggling down his body, large, strong hands sliding along his belly, flank and thighs. He made a soft noise as his skin prickled pleasantly under Dean's touch. Green eyes, dark and intense, flicked between his face and leaking cock, as a tongue came out and slowly licked along a plump lower lip. He nearly asked what Dean was going to do, but the Alpha bent forward and nuzzled the dark patch of hair at the base of his crotch and any words were lost to the needy sound bubbling out of his chest._

_His first instinct was to grab at Dean's hair. He almost did but he didn't think an Alpha would like that, being bossed around and held down. He grabbed at the sheets under his hips instead and tried not to buck too strongly when wet warmth made contact with the leaking head of his dick. It felt glorious and not enough at the same time. His legs fell open, wide and inviting, and he felt Dean's chuckle all the way to his damn toes._

_"Impatient?" Dean murmured, his lips brushing the flushed head. It was rather large for an Omega; a lovely dark pink color and now pretty much constantly dribbling pre-come. He watched a large bead trickle down Cas' balls to meet the steady flow of slick. He groaned and buried his face there, inhaling greedily and licking anything he could reach. He smirked against the heated cleft when Cas' hips twitched up, thighs quivering, with a loud gasp of surprise that quickly turned into an obscene moan. Knees clamped around his head, Cas' pulling him in with that same gasping, moaning sound as his fingers clenched in his hair.  
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_It was like the Omega had never—_

_Dean pulled away, shaking his head a little and knocking Cas' fingers loose, both of them making little sounds of regret. "Cas?" he asked slowly. He leaned up, waiting for Cas to look down at him. The sight of Cas' erection laying flushed and nearly purple now as it rest against his belly was a little distracting, but he made himself look past it and meet dilated blue eyes. The Omega looked nearly feral... _

_"Cas, this your first?" Cas' hips bucked as his breath ghosted over the heated skin and his head flopped back to the pillow but he heard the 'yes', even if Cas' knees were pinning his ears to his head and muffling things. _Fuck_.  
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_He removed his fingers from Cas, a little annoyed his body was basically on auto-pilot now and doing shit without his express permission. He nearly groaned because Cas didn't _need_ any sort of preparation; he was slick and ready, muscles loose and engorged for his knot. Shit. Fuck. He needed to concentrate, dammit. He pulled away a little, surprised when Cas' legs went slack enough to let him go even as the Omega made a soft whining sound of displeasure. He was far enough away to sit back on his heels, but he stayed between Cas' thighs. He wasn't exactly touching anymore, but it didn't help when he could still smell and feel the damn Heat radiating off the Omega's sprawled body.  
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_Dean cleared his throat a few times, licking his lips. Several times, unconsciously chasing the taste of Cas. He could see the desperation in Cas' eyes but also enough lucidity he didn't feel like he was seconds, inches, away from taking advantage of a completely hormone crazy Omega that wasn't able to think straight. He didn't care what anyone said, that kinda shit didn't count as consent when it got that crazy. "You sure?"_

_"Yes, Dean," Castiel growled lowly, popping up to rest on his elbows to glare down at the Alpha. He appreciated the concern, he did (and nearly whimpered at the caring Alpha between his legs, looking sweet even as he looked ready to devour him), but he was very sure. He'd wanted an Alpha and he was pleased he'd managed to find such a lovely one. He wanted this. He _needed_ this. "Yes," he said again, louder and with more conviction because Dean didn't look all that convinced.  
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_He lowered his chin to his chest so he could gaze at Dean through his lashes, deliberately spreading his legs and angling his hips up. "Do I need to beg, Alpha?"_

_Dean _might've_ had to clamp a hand behind his rapidly swelling knot to keep from embarrassing himself..._

Ω

Dean blinked the memories away with an effort. It was probably super-pervy to think of such things around a pup. Right? He glanced back at Grace, _his daughter_, and noticed she was studying him again. He studied her right back; paying attention this time as he looked at her.

She was adorable, really. And a sassy little thing, judging by her posture and their interaction so far. It was hard to tell if that was Cas' influence or his; from what he remembered of the Omega, they both were little shits so it could be either (or both) of them. He nearly nodded approvingly when he took in her dark hair pulled into messy pig-tails and the well-worn, pink Converse high-tops. The kid had style, he had to give her that.

"So. You believe me?" Grace asked after a few more silent moments. She wanted to move closer but she didn't want to if Dean wasn't OK with it. She'd waited 8 years to touch, Scent, _see_ her father; a few more minutes wouldn't be the worst thing. She'd heard enough stories about Alphas turning away from their 'illegitimate' pups... She didn't want to push her father into doing anything rash. Not now that she was so close.

Dean pursed his lips a little, gaze flicking between green eyes and barely-there freckles, roaming her adorable perfect little face. As much as he saw himself in the pint-sized terror, he also saw Castiel. And damn if that didn't make that squirmy ache come back. He slowly nodded, a small smile on his face. "Yeah. Yeah, I think I do." The smile grew, wide enough for it to actually hurt his cheeks a little, when Grace grinned at him.

They fell into silence, watching the other and just... looking. It wasn't all altogether an awkward silence, but Dean felt the need to break it after a few moments. Small talk wasn't really his thing, but he figured they had to start somewhere.

"Where you from, Grace?" he asked, feeling like an idiot but wanting to know. He remembered meeting Cas in some dive bar outside some rural town in southwest Pennsylvania. He couldn't remember the name but there were actual freakin' horse-drawn buggies all over the place.

Grace shuffled her feet and avoided Dean's eyes. A peek through her lashes confirmed the Alpha standing there, patient and receptive. In other words, waiting for an answer she better give. "Pennsylvania," she muttered.

_Christ_. That was hundreds of miles away! If he hadn't been driving through here on a whim— It felt like his insides turned to ice and he was pulling Grace closer, inspecting her for signs of trauma. Who knew what could happen to a little girl, _his_ little girl, on the road? He'd been around enough to feel a cold sweat break out along his hairline and upper lip at the very thought. She was years away from presenting her status, but that didn't stop perverts and weirdos. Some even got off on that sorta shit.

"What the hell?! You came all this way? _Alone_?" he demanded, his hands squeezing her shoulders and giving a gentle shake. He was trying to breath through the panic that suddenly clamped around his chest. _Obviously_, she was unharmed; he'd been around her long enough to know there was no indication of there being anything wrong. But his imagination was vicious and he wanted to poke himself in the brain to stop the horrific 'What If' scenarios it kept supplying. Graphically. He nearly growled at the very idea of anything happening to his little girl.

Dean wiped a hand across his face, harshly, because he knew he hadn't any real right to be thinking like that... He'd accepted this was his pup, but he knew, deep down, he had no real claims on the little girl. Regardless of what his instincts and over-active heart was telling him. He calmed himself with an effort; the last thing he wanted to do was freak his daughter out with on-edge Alpha stink.

Of course, his attempts at playing it cool lasted all of 2 seconds before he was checking Grace over again, his hands as gentle as he could make them so she wouldn't panic or think he was being inappropriately demanding. There was a tiny part he didn't bother quieting that was enjoying the moment to be this close to his daughter, subtly inhale her sweet smell that reminded him of wildflowers and Play-Doh and pretend he was a real father and not some deadbeat she hadn't ever seen before.

Grace nodded reluctantly, keeping still as Dean's large hands continued checking her over. It gave her a curious warm feeling, even though she was practically being man-handled by someone that was basically a stranger. But it was kinda nice, being awashed in protective Alpha scent as Dean carefully patted her down and looked her over with sharp green eyes. She hadn't expected the Alpha to have such instincts for a strange kid he just met. She nearly smiled, but she didn't want Dean to think she was being a brat.

"I took a bus," she offered, hoping that would ease his worries. She'd saved her allowance for weeks to be able to buy the ticket. She turned obediently when Dean's hands on her shoulders nudged her around. She didn't know what he was looking for, since he didn't seem to be touching her anymore. She turned around again when prompted, resuming her careful staring up at Dean.

"A bus?" Dean repeated blankly. A look at Grace let him know this was supposed to make him feel better. Reassure him. He figured it was better than his original ideas of her hitch-hiking or stealing a car... _Jesus_, when did he get so damn imaginative and downright paranoid? He hadn't had this sort of panicked, fluttery, nauseous feeling since Sam was 7 and thought a grocery bag looped over his arms would make the perfect parachute. He narrowed his eyes a little, looking down at Grace shrewdly, "How did you know where to go? Where I'd be?"

Grace shrugged. "I got lucky? I was gonna start here and work from here until I found you." She had expected a longer search, honestly. Her mom told her where he'd met her father. But he also told her also of her father's habit of moving around. A lot. She hadn't expected to find him right from the start. She figured it was a good sign. Fate or something. And now that she didn't have to spend money on more bus tickets, she was thinking about the Hello Kitty purse she saw last week.

If she wasn't grounded forever, that was.

"Lucky," Dean repeated, voice flat. "Okay," he said through a long sigh, rubbing at his eye with his thumb. "Look, kid—Grace, _sorry_—we need to get you back home, okay?" He waited for her to argue, beg to spend more time with him, but she merely gazed up at him with wide green eyes and nodded solemnly. He tried not to feel offended or crushed by her quick agreement, rejected by the clear indicator of having spent enough time 'meeting' him, and nodded like the responsible adult he was pretending to be. He rubbed a hand over his mouth, trying to think of the best way to get her back home.

Sticking her on a bus again—No, the idea alone made his skin crawl. He could spring for a plane ticket; he knew the air stewards took good care of pups traveling alone. But no, he really didn't want her traveling by herself again. He wouldn't be able to sleep at night knowing he'd stuck his daughter on a plane and waved merrily as she disappeared again, probably forever.

"I could drive you?" Dean offered, speaking slowly as he thought the idea over. He narrowed his eyes a little when Grace beamed up at him, nodding enthusiastically. Relief flooded hot and quick through him and he tried not to smile, but he slipped a little. "You planned that, didn't you?"

Grace shrugged, trying to wipe the smile off her face. "No? I mean, I had kinda hoped, but I didn't _plan_ it."

"Fine. Let's do this," Dean said with a decisive nod, squaring his shoulders. He just had to drive for 7 hours and then drop her off, make sure she got to her house safely... He could do that. It was probably, literally, the least he could do. "You know your address, kiddo?"

Grace rolled her eyes. Of course she knew her address, had since she was 5 and her mom insisted she know in case she ever got lost or something. She was only supposed to tell uniformed police officers, but she figured her father was a reasonable exception. "Yeah, 'course I do." Dean glared a little and she grinned, pleased when his expression softened and the corner of his mouth twitched. "But I'm hungry."

"Yeah, okay. We'll get some grub and then hit the road."

Grace nodded and slid her hand into Dean's, looking up at him with a hopeful expression so he wouldn't shake her hand off. He didn't. He even smiled down at her, and she leaned in a little, happiness bubbling through her as she practically soaked up his warmth and strong scent. Holding Dean's hand was different than her mom's; Dean's was firm, large and slightly calloused. It was kinda nice, really.

Dean jumped a little when his phone went off in his pocket. It took a little maneuvering to get his phone out without letting go of Grace's hand, but he managed. He hesitated a moment longer than usual when he saw Sam's name pop up on the ID screen but he answered it with a fortifying breath. "Hey, Sam."

"_Hey, Dean,_" Sam said brightly. "_What're you doing for dinner?_"

Dean looked down at Grace, his pinky rubbing along his chin and bottom lip as he thought. "Was gonna hit the diner, get some food before I hit the road."

"_Oh. You want some company?_" Sam asked, bypassing the fact that Dean was leaving again. He wasn't exactly surprised, his brother was restless any more and often wandered in and out of town. At least this time, he'd get more than just a text goodbye. "_Jess is working late and I really don't feel like cooking,_" he added. He didn't need to work on Dean's sympathies, of course. Regardless of what his brother might say, Dean would never refuse a chance to hang out, but it couldn't hurt. Just in case 'diner' was suddenly code for 'gonna find a hookup at the nearest skeevy dive' or something. It wasn't always easy to tell with Dean.

Dean closed his eyes and exhaled slowly. "Yeah, sure. Of course, Sammy. But, uh..." he trailed off, throat suddenly tight and unsure what the hell to say. He couldn't _not_ tell his brother that he suddenly had a niece. Right? Sam, of course, was patient and didn't interrupt, just let him stew in his own juices until he blurted out what was on his mind. "Uhm. It won't just be us."

"_Okay_," Sam said slowly, eyebrows raising in surprise. Someone joining them for dinner was a surprise, but he knew inundating Dean with questions wouldn't help. His brother was ridiculously fond of teasing him like they were freakin' 12. "_Should I ask who's joining us?_" he finally said when Dean remained silent for nearly an entire minute.

Dean glanced down at Grace again, offering a small smile when she looked back, looking confused and curious. Did he just blurt it out or let Sam be surprised when he got to the diner and saw his mini-me? A surprise might be fun but Sam didn't hold back public displays and the idea of a huge scene, in the middle of a most likely crowded diner, was really not looking good at the moment. No one deserved a rampaging moose ruining their dinner.

"My daughter," he finally said, voice oddly hushed but still audible. He waited, tense and ready to offer explanations, maybe an apology or two. But. There was nothing; no outbursts or demands. Sam just... breathed. "Sam?"

"_Seriously?_" Sam said, voice a little squeaky. Dean mumbled something unintelligible but it was definitely in the affirmative. He ran a hand through his hair and took a few deep breaths. "_I guess—Huh. Well, I guess that's really not too surprising_," he muttered. His thoughts re-organized, he found himself feeling excited. He and Jess probably couldn't have pups, and with Dean's allergy to commitment, he'd feared there being an end to all things Winchester. Finding out Dean had a daughter was pretty damn exciting. He was bursting with questions, but he forced himself to wait.

He was going to meet her, so he could hold off for a few.

Dean jerked his phone away just so he could glare at it. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"_It means I shouldn't be surprised_," Sam said slowly, inexplicably trying not to laugh. Dean sounded so indignant, it was amusing. "_I'm actually _more_ surprised this hasn't happened yet_," he said with a grin.

Dean snorted softly, a little offended but mostly relieved Sam wasn't freaking out or anything. "Shut up. We'll be at Rosco's in ten," he said and disconnected the call before Sam could say anything else. He slowly pocketed his phone and glanced down at Grace. "So. Uh. That was my brother. He's gonna meet us for something to eat."

Grace nodded easily. Maybe she was a little excited to meet another uncle, but she knew very little about him. She followed along, letting the Alpha lead her until they came to a big, shiny black car. "Wow, that's a pretty car. Is it yours?" she asked, looking up. Dean looked fit to bust with pride and she already knew the answer.

"Yup. Like it?"

Grace nodded. "Yeah, it's pretty."

"_Pretty_," Dean muttered under his breath, smiling a little and shaking his head. He figured Baby could be called pretty. At least his pup had good taste. He opened the passenger side door, pausing for a moment as he looked her over, sizing her up. He shifted from foot to foot, feeling like a supreme idiot but he had to ask, "Do you need one of those booster seats?"

Grace scoffed and rolled her eyes. "_No_, I'm big," she insisted. She hadn't needed a booster seat for over a year now. She eased past Dean and climbed into the car, settling herself on the seat and grabbing the seat belt. She eyed him as she buckled herself in, settling her backpack in her lap and nearly giggling at his stunned expression. They headed out after agreeing that a diner would be 'awesome'. She spent most of the ride there studying Dean's profile instead of the scenery.

Which, apparently, made the Alpha uncomfortable. His gaze would slide over towards her enough times she worried he wasn't driving safely and she forced herself to stop staring. Thankfully, there was enough slack in her seat belt she could reach the radio, jumping a little when it clicked on with the volume at full blast. She scrambled to lower it, but didn't change the song.

It was nice now that it wasn't trying to break her ears.

Dean relaxed with the music, singing along with the lyrics in a low voice as his thumbs tapped the steering wheel. A few more glances at Grace had him sighing, eyes closing for only a few seconds with resignation. He lowered the volume just enough to make conversation doable and eyed Grace for a few seconds before putting his attention back on the road, "Alright. Spit it out, pipsqueak."

"I'm not_—_" Grace started but huffed when Dean just gave her an amused smirk. Ugh. That was going to get annoying fast but she couldn't help smile at the idea of getting a nickname. Even if it was kinda dumb. "Anyway, I was just wondering..." she trailed off, rolling her bottom lip between her index finger and thumb until Dean made an impatient 'go on' gesture with his hand. "How did you and mom meet?"

Dean cleared his throat and resolutely stared ahead. He could feel his face and the back of his neck get warmer but thankfully nothing too noticeable since Grace didn't comment on it. And he had a feeling she would, she didn't seem to have a damn filter for that kind of thing. "Uh. What, uh, what did he say?"

"You met at a bar," Grace said, rolling her eyes and giggling. She'd hoped it would be something romantic like in the movies, but her mom said life_—romance—_wasn't like a Nora Ephron movie. But Grace was sure even a dingy bar could be romantic if you met the right person. There was less sappy romance than hormones, apparently, but she didn't entirely buy that explanation. Not when her mom got that look in his eye and made that weird little sighing noise.

Dean silently let out a pent-up breath, feeling the hot flush of panic ebb away a little. He was oddly pleased to know Cas hadn't lied, told some whacked-out fairy tale to make their meet-n-bang sound better to their pup. Of course, he was pretty damn sure the raunchier details weren't shared. Hopefully. He was tempted to pile on some chick-flick stuff about their eyes meeting across the dart board or something, but decided against it. He was crap with that stuff and he didn't want Grace to know that just yet.

Or call him out on his BS. He had a strong suspicion she would, 9 years old or not.

"Yup, that's how it happened," Dean said with a firm nod.

"That's_ it_?" Grace asked, pouting just a little. She had hoped for something... more. But Dean just shrugged and made a weird humming noise that was probably some sort of agreement before turning the radio back up and singing along to something loud and guitar heavy.


	2. Chapter 2

_(A/N: Rated **M** for mature content and language._

_Thank you for the favorites, follows and reviews! I edited this chapter in a bit of a rush; I got excited to get it out, so please excuse any glaring errors. heh  
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_So.  
>Uhm.<br>Enjoy?)_

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><p><em>Castiel looked around the bar, trying to tamp down his nervousness. He'd never been in such a place before and he was not exactly looking forward to trying to engage anyone in conversation. He wouldn't really know how to even if he was; he wasn't here for conversation, anyway. He absently fiddled with the end of his tie, considering the merits of getting a drink. He didn't want to stay long, he was quite sure it was only a matter of time before his scent was picked up by every Alpha in the place and he wanted to have made his choice and be gone before it could become an issue.<em>

_He took another look around the bar; he didn't want to spend any longer here than he needed to but he didn't want to be too hasty and overlook anyone, either. He had a mental list (a short list, admittedly), and he was determined to find an Alpha that checked off each item. Hopefully tonight. Now. Waiting for his next Heat—he didn't think he would have the opportunity or ability to muster his courage up once more any time soon to attempt this again._

_His gaze stalled on an Alpha he hadn't seen earlier and he stared for a moment, taking him in. He was tall, probably only a few inches on him, but enough to make a small shiver of pleasured want go through him. Built but not overly muscled; broad shouldered and just bulky enough to hint of strength and capability to protect should it be needed. Good-looking_—_gorgeous, really, with striking features. And that was even with the dim lights and haze to the air.  
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_Castiel was walking forward before he made the conscious decision to do so, his gaze firmly on the tall Alpha and heedless of the others gathered around the pool table.  
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_Dean paused, his beer halfway to his mouth to finish it off, when he realized he was being checked out. Even in the crowded bar, full of Alphas dicking it up and stinking up the place, it was easy to tell the guy practically eye-fucking him from a few feet away was an Omega. Normally, he stuck to Betas (or the occasional freaky Alpha once or twice) because Omegas were just too damn tempting for a casual fuck._

_They could be clingy after a good knotting and he didn't do that kinda shit. He didn't want a Mate now, if ever. Plus, it was dangerous to get a whiff of Heat pheromones that scrambled the brains and made thinking above the waist nearly impossible. He didn't enjoy being lead around by his dick like that.  
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_But the one staring him down was hard to resist. Especially when the Omega sidled closer, eyes wide and intense, and studied Dean like he was in a freakin' meat market. He was a little too interested to be pissed off about it. Male Omegas were even further on his 'no-no' list_—_too fucking tempting—but he was willing to make an exception for the fine specimen blatantly eyeing him up and down when he got a hint of the Omega's scent over stale beer and bar stink. Even with the rumpled tie, stuffy trench coat and suit pants, he could tell he was one sexy little bastard._

_"What's up, sweetheart?" Dean asked, grinning his best Alpha grin, guaranteed to moisten (and drop) boxers, when the Omega was close enough for conversation to replace the mutual eye-fucking. He was flirting, but also curious what the hell an Omega was doing walking into this place_—looking (and smelling) like a walking After School Special about "what not to do". He wasn't exactly the type to ride up on a white steed to rescue hapless Omegas, but he did manage to keep his attention on the Omega __and__ their surroundings._  
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__Just in case.__

_Castiel looked up, meeting green eyes. The words were a little off-putting, they could almost be considered condescending if the tone wasn't curious enough to sound genuine; like the Alpha was merely using them because it was expected, but_ there was a hint of concern as well. As if the Alpha was genuinely concerned, maybe convinced he was edging towards danger. _But there was blatant interest practically written all over the Alpha, as well, so he squared his shoulders. He felt a gentle sort of warmth flood through him that had nothing to do with his Heat. A caring Alpha was definitely on his list. _

_He mentally checked off another box. Attractive✓ Strong✓ Caring✓ He felt almost giddy to think he'd managed to find the near-perfect Alpha on his first try._

_"Come with me," Castiel said, getting into the Alpha's space. He had no interest in letting the opportunity slip away. When the Alpha hesitated for longer than a few heartbeats, he firmly grabbed him by the collar of his leather jacket and tugged. The pool stick fell out of surprised hands and there was a moment when the beer bottle hastily put on the table's edge wobbled but it didn't fall. He wasn't concerned with any of those details, though.  
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_Dean's nose twitched and he could practically feel his pupils dilating when the potent scent of _Omega_ wafted towards him, surrounded him in its heady warmth. He felt a slick, hot feeling of panic go through him when he realized he was already reacting to it and he knocked the Omega's hand off him, grabbing him by the arm instead, gently but insistently. Thankfully, the Omega was completely pliant and went willingly. He was torn between the twin Alpha urges to just find a dim corner, pin the Omega and _fuck, Mate, breed_ him, warm and willing. Or drag him outside somewhere isolated, safe and _protect_. _

_Unsurprisingly, the urge to protect won out and he was leading the Omega outside in moments, away from other Alphas that would simply force._

_Or fight him for the Omega like some sort of stupid dominance display of the good ol' days or campy movies. That kind of bullshit still happened in these backwards places, especially when enough booze was added to the mix. The thought of that happening made his gut tighten unpleasantly, a low growl slipping out, and his steps quicken until they were nearly running towards the door. He didn't slow down or relax until they were outside, the cool night air almost jarring after the stuffy heat and crowded stink of the bar._

_"What the fuck, man?" Dean growled softly, mostly to himself. He steered the Omega away from the door, but not towards the alley. He wanted him out and away from the doorway but he didn't want to make the Omega panic with thoughts of what could happen in dark alleys. Shit. Now _he_ was thinking about it and it wasn't nearly as unpleasant as what the Omega would come up with. He took a step back and tilted his head down, inhaled deeply, trying to get fresh air to dilute the smell of delicious Omega._

_Castiel shuffled closer, frowning a little when the Alpha moved away. Alphas were not supposed to do that when presented with a receptive Omega. "I'm looking for an Alpha," he said patiently, enunciating clearly so there was no doubt as to what he wanted. He got even closer, their chests nearly touching. His eyes fluttered closed as a dizzying wave of fevered heat swept through him when he inhaled the heavy, thick scent of _Alpha_. It was a very pleasing scent and he wanted to revel in it, maybe roll around in it, covering himself until their scents mingled pleasantly and he reeked of leather, earthy hops, grass and _Alpha_._

_"I've picked you," he said plainly, getting close enough to nuzzle. The Alpha didn't push him away or say anything to indicate he refused so Castiel pressed closer, snuffling and humming softly. Yes, this was an acceptable Alpha. The rasp of stubble against his cheek nearly made him whimper._

_Dean almost choked on his own spit, hormones nearly soaking his brain in seconds when the Omega shifted closer and he felt like he'd been punched with the subtle yet gloriously sweet scent of the Omega. Sweet, probably fertile, willing Omega. He should be rational... But any thought of telling the Omega about respecting personal space sort of evaporated, disappeared with one stupid deep inhale.  
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_It was extremely stupid to even consider doing anything with an Omega, one very likely in pre-Heat, and probably not thinking rationally. He wasn't that kind of Alpha, dammit. But his big brain seemed to have fucked off on vacation, leaking out of his ears the moment his dick perked up at that enticing scent, his knot already starting to swell._

_Son of a bitch._

Ω

Thankfully, it wasn't long before they pulled up in front of a brightly lit diner, breaking Dean from his thoughts as he gazed at the building covered in chrome and neon signs in the windows.

Grace was looking out her window, wide-eyed and awestruck. Dean eased the car into Park and leaned down a little to look out the windshield. As many times as he'd been to Rosco's, saw the bright neon and shiny chrome panels lining the outside, he'd never really appreciated it. He took a moment to enjoy it, too, until he saw Sam's Chevelle.

Shit.

He should've known Sam would beat him here; he'd probably broken every damn traffic law to get here first. He really hoped Sam managed to leave the house with pants on... His brother's single-minded determination tended to have him forgetting small details sometimes. He'd lost count how many times Sam had rushed into a room, excitedly saying 'So get this...' without a shirt on, or his hair a complete mess because baths and brushes were small things compared to reading and researching.

"Let's do this," Dean muttered, mostly to himself, squaring his shoulders before opening his door. He paused, remembering at the last moment that Grace might need a hand, but she was out of the car and holding his hand before he made it around the other side of the car. He took a moment to get used to holding a small hand and headed towards the door, carefully crossing the parking lot. If Grace noticed the way he tucked her close, only slightly aware of using his larger body as a shield, she didn't say anything.

As soon as they opened the door and entered the diner, Dean saw Sam; floppy brown hair, head and shoulders above everyone in the place. The panicked, sick feeling came back but he still managed a smile to see Sam had snagged 'their' corner booth. He gave Grace's hand a squeeze and nodded his head towards Sam. He didn't think he had to warn her, so much as... Give her a heads up. Sam was huge even to an adult, could be intimidating even when he was smiling, he couldn't only imagine how he'd loom over a pup.

"That's my brother."

Grace followed where Dean was indicating and felt her eyes widen. The guy was huge, even sitting down! But he looked really nice, despite that; big hazel eyes and a small, friendly smile on his face. She saw him look at them, eyes going happy and warm when he saw Dean. Then their eyes met and she nearly dropped hers but the man's smile just grew, his whole demeanor lighting up in a way that had her relaxing and smiling back.

She squirmed a little in place, feet shuffling in a sudden bout of shyness. "He seems nice."

"Sam?" Dean chuckled, inclined to agree. He kind of wanted to disagree, strictly on Big Brother principle alone, but he didn't want to give Grace the wrong impression before they'd even met. So he didn't say anything like he normally would. "Yeah, he's alright, I guess," he said, shrugging a little.

He took that as his cue to walk over, leading Grace by the hand towards the back and a Sam that was practically vibrating and looked ready to pounce on them like Mrs. Mosley's Labrador. Sam managed to keep seated though, his face somehow managing to get more gooberific the closer they got, his eyes rapidly flicking between him and Grace, their held hands, and back again in a continuous loop until they made it to the table. He let go of Grace's hand and watched as she scooted into the booth, sitting against the window, before settling in himself.

Right across from Sam and no where to go to get away from the big-ass puppy eyes and smug face.

Dean sighed softly; resigned but not altogether unhappy. Sam was practically bouncing in his seat like a damn pup that needed to pee. The stink of happy Omega was a little overwhelming, honestly, but Dean reveled in it all the same; it wasn't often he saw Sam this happy because of him. The smile on his face was automatic and corn-ball huge; he couldn't help it even if he wanted to. "Hey Sam."

"Hey!" Sam said excitedly. He reached across the table and punched Dean in the shoulder, slightly harder than he normally would in a playful manner. He grinned when his brother winced and tried not to rub the area... only to give up after about 2 seconds and do just that. He turned to the little girl sitting, wide-eyed and quiet, next to Dean. He unconsciously slumped in his seat a little and gentled his expression, smiling warmly. "Hi. I'm Sam, Dean's brother."

Grace nodded and reached a hand out, giggling softly when Sam's smile got bigger somehow as he reached over automatically to shake it, dwarfing her small hand in his huge, warm one. He looked stunned, but pleasantly so. "Hi, Sam. I'm Grace."

"Grace," Sam said, nodding, still smiling. Unfortunately, that was when things got a little awkward. They all just sat there, fidgeting with menus and the napkin-wrapped silverware as they stared at each other. "So," he said, trying to break the tension. Dean and Grace both stilled and looked at him, oddly identical expressions of expectant curiosity on their faces. Weird. But adorable. He nearly cooed. "Uhm. How old are you, Grace?"

Dean just sat back and listened while Grace and Sam talked, content to give them time together. He didn't know if he'd get more time with Grace, hopefully this wouldn't be the first and only time togeter, but he knew Sam would just pout if he didn't get a chance for some quality time with his daughter. A warm little twist worked through his chest to see them getting on so well, leaning towards each other as they spoke, pausing only long enough to give the waitress their orders and eat. Which, kind of surprised Dean because his brother was usually terrible with pups—for an Omega. Sam managed to keep Grace talking about small things like school (she hated Math but loved Science and Phys Ed) and hobbies (drawing, watching something called EmEllPee and going to dance class twice a week).

As they ate, Dean mainly watched Grace. He found himself wondering if she might present as an Alpha in a few years; little things he noticed about how she held herself as she got more comfortable, they way she interacted with Sam and their Beta waitress. He knew it wasn't uncommon for pups as young as 5 to exhibit characteristics, one way or another.

It also wasn't uncommon for first-borns—_only_ pups, he reminded himself with an odd, sharp little pang—to be Alpha. He knew there was some medical mumbo jumbo about in utero factors or evolutionary advantages or some such BS... Sam would have a book (or two) about it if he asked, he was sure. Not that he really cared how Grace later presented, just that he got a chance to find out.

By the time Sam managed to ask Grace about her pack, Dean was already finished his burger and fries and didn't even bother trying to hide the fact he was eagerly listening in. He listened keenly as Grace talked about Cas, her uncles and even a few friends of the pack that she'd grown up with. He tried to remember names, but without faces and scents, he didn't think he'd have much luck.

When Grace went for her bag, attention on looking through her stuff for her drawing book Sam asked about, he caught Sam's eye. He was grateful for their ability to communicate without words when Sam's dopey smile came back, obviously picking up on his expression of gratitude. He leaned back into the booth when Grace finally pulled her book out of her backpack and handed it to Sam, shoulder slightly hunched with shyness again.

Dean caught them mumbling something about ponies that had him tempted to tell Sam Grace is freakin' 9, not 3 but she didn't look at all bothered so he kept his mouth closed and ears open. It all sounded like another language to him, but Grace was really into it as she animatedly told Sam all about the ponies. He'd smile and nod whenever she included him, half-hating the goofy warm thrill he felt whenever she did so.

"Wow," Sam said with a soft whistle as he looked through Grace's sketch book. Most of the pages were filled with drawings and doodles of ponies and other 9-year-old-girl stuff but it was really well done.

Grace puffed up a little with a prideful, smug look on her face as she bit into a french fry with relish, chewing slowly and happily as she reveled in his praise. She could tell he meant it; it wasn't that fake stuff Aunt Naomi would say because she didn't want to 'stifle young talent'. Her mom was great with saying she could draw, but it's, like, part of a mom's job description to praise their pup and call even crappy stuff good.

"Thanks, Uncle Sam," she said happily, sipping the last of her milkshake with a loud slurping sound as she tried to get all of it from the bottom of her cup. She was probably enjoying it too much, usually Uncle Balthazar smacked the straw out of her mouth before she even got going making the annoying sound.

Dean nearly rolled his eyes when Sam's face lit up like a freakin' Christmas tree. Not that he blamed him... Grace called him _dad_ a few minutes ago and he practically broke down into manly tears. So. Yeah, he could get it.

Grace felt a little nervous when Sam pushed her book across the table to Dean. The Alpha took it carefully, handling the book like it was some sort of relic or something instead of a cheap, spiral bound craft book she got for 4 bucks, and he carefully thumbed through it, being thorough and not just flipping pages for a good show of looking. He'd pause on a picture now and again, eyes flicking around as he looked at the page. She was nervous, waiting to hear what he had to say.

Dean nodded and handed the book back to Grace. "Awesome stuff, kiddo. Got some real talents there." He was tempted to point out it must've come from Cas, but he could _feel_ Sam's bitch-face, his brother preempting him and disapproving of him saying anything (justifiably) negative about himself. He ruffled Grace's hair, chuckling when she ducked out from under his hand with a scowl.

"_Dad_," Grace whined, smoothing her hands over her hair, trying to fix and flatten it. She'd have to take out her ponytails to fix it, though. It wasn't until she saw Sam's goofy smile that she realized she probably shouldn't have said that. But. Well. It just sorta came out... Even if she'd only just met him, it still felt natural enough to say it. A peek out of the corner of her eye showed Dean trying not to smile... or maybe he was having some sort of fit because his face was twitching a little and he was blinking a lot. Well. At least he wasn't yelling or telling her she shouldn't call him that.

Dean tried not to react again, tried to ignore Sam's huge, happy puppy-face as he coughed and blinked a few times until the stinging threat of tears abated and his vision cleared again. Son of a bitch, he'd probably never get used to that. He kind of wanted to hug Sam when his brother managed to distract Grace again, getting her attention back with asking how she managed to draw horses ("no—_ponies_, Uncle Sam!") so well and off her Alpha father on the verge of blubbering like an idiot.

He cleared his throat and felt like a real dick when he tapped at his watch, Sam and Grace both looking crestfallen as he did so. They'd been there about 2 hours and he was anxious to get on the road, get Grace back home. As awesome as it was to spend time with them, he knew Cas had to be going crazy every moment Grace wasn't home. He suspected their waitress had ESP, or just a strong urge to finally get the booth back, because she was there with the check the moment he turned to look for her.

"Sorry, Sammy," Dean said, meaning it. He wanted to promise his brother another time, maybe all of them taking a fun trip out for ice cream or mini-golf or something, but he shouldn't. Couldn't. He had no freakin' idea if he'd ever see Grace again, let alone if he'd be able to drag Sam along for some quality pack-bonding time. "We gotta hit the road."

He tried his best to ignore the twin groans of disappointment from Sam and Grace, a big part of him twisting painfully with the fact he was disappointing his pack but he worked through it. It was for the best. Or something. He got out of the booth, leaving some money on the table for the check and tip, and waited patiently as Sam struggled his huge body out of the narrow booth and crush him in a hug.

Dean accepted the hug with a smile, pointedly ignoring the soft sniffling sound his brother made as he was squeezed and practically nuzzled. He really couldn't blame him, he was feeling some pretty sappy shit himself.

"Thanks, Dean," Sam murmured, patting Dean's back twice more before letting go. He subtly wiped at his eyes, hiding the gesture as he brushed his hair back. He smiled down at Grace and extended his hand. "Grace. It was awesome to meet you."

Grace nodded and ignored the hand, instead moving in to hug Sam around the waist. If she spent a too-long moment with her nose in his belly, inhaling and trying to remember his scent, no one commented on it or scolded her for it. She tightened her arms for a moment when Sam's huge hand patted at her head before letting go. It was a lot easier to take Dean's hand this time. Even if it meant they were leaving.

The walk back to the car was quiet. As was most of the drive, the radio on low in the background the only real sound in the car. Dean wasn't sure whether or not to be relieved or bummed the hell out when Grace fell asleep about 20 minutes into the drive, curling up on the bench seat so the top of her head pressed against his leg. It looked awkward, the seat belt pulling and pressing into her side in a way that almost looked painful, and was probably really unsafe... But he didn't have the heart to wake her up or move her. Not when she snuggled into the leather seat with a happy little sigh and pressed even closer.

He might've let his hand rest on top of her head a few times, or leaned down enough to get a whiff of her scent, reassuring himself that he really did have a daughter and she was _there_. For now. As tempting as it was to take his time, maybe squeeze a few more hours with Grace, he knew he couldn't. He knew he had to get her back home.

Ω

Grace chewed on her bottom lip as Dean walked her up the pathway. Part of her wanted the Alpha to just drop her off and go; she was going to be in big trouble and she really didn't want an audience when she got yelled at and grounded for a bazillion years. Or, god forbid, Dean agreeing and getting in on the idea.

But the other part, the bigger part that got her into his mess in the first place, wanted the escort. She _wanted_ Dean to walk her to the door and see her mom. And maybe she watched too much Disney, but she fully intended them to meet again and spark something romantic and magical. They'd get hearts in their eyes as they fell madly in love, lived happily ever after and she'd get herself a proper pack. She adored her mom with everything she was, and her uncle Gabe (and uncle Balthazar, and uncle Luci and Aunt Anna and even Aunt Naomi was OK if they just stuck to baking or crocheting lessons) were awesome, but there was always a tiny part of her that felt... missing.

Once she finally met Dean, that piece fell into place and she wasn't going to give up without even trying. She was still panicking a little, though. It was weird to watch her hand come up and knock on her own front door, almost like she was watching one of those bad reality shows that liked to stick cameras on the actors' heads. But she'd lost her key somewhere around Maryland and she had to knock.

Now, she kind of wished she'd let Dean call first when he asked about it. The idea of her mom dropping dead in the foyer from a heart-attack when he opened the door to see them both suddenly occurred to her.

Oh no. What if she killed him?! Her mom could handle surprise and stress quite well, but rarely when it came to her well-being. The few times she'd seen him flip out were always because something had happened to her. She made a soft sound in the back of her throat and shuffled a half-step towards Dean.

Dean placed a comforting hand on Grace's shoulder, giving a gentle squeeze when he could practically feel the guilt, fear and panic rolling off her in waves. It stunk, honestly, but he was more concerned with Grace beating herself up than making the vestibule reek. He went to say something, hoping he could think of something comforting, when the door opened. He stared, wide-eyed and breath caught in his throat when he saw Cas. Even disheveled and obviously distraught he looked damn good.

There was the frantic sound of shuffling feet before the front door was torn open and Grace was staring at her panic stricken mom, cell phone clutched in one white-knuckled hand and pressed tightly to his ear. His hair was a complete mess, sticking up every which way, like he hadn't showered and been running his fingers through it repeatedly (a gesture he did all the time when stressed or anxious). There were dark circles under his eyes. His dress slacks were wrinkled and he was wearing a raggedy T-shirt—one she recognized from her mom's old maternity pile—under a too-big sweater.

All in all, he looked ready to drop, or curl up into a ball and cry for a week. Which was terrible because she's only see him cry twice. Like, ever. And that included the time he broke his leg the one and only time they tried skiing.

Grace felt her face get hot and her eyes stung as they watered, suddenly feeling like the worst daughter _ever _knowing she'd done that; she'd made him look like he hadn't slept in forever and was expecting the worst news. The hand on her shoulder squeezed again but it only made her breath hitch with the threat of a sob.

"Dammit, Gabriel! I don't _know_—" Castiel's hand tightened on the phone just before his fingers went lax and it dropped to the ground. There was a muffled, but clearly worried sounding '_Cassie?_' as it dropped before the screen cracked and the call disconnected with an audible click as the phone split, the battery jarred loose and skidding across the foyer. Not that Castiel even noticed. Busted cellphones were of no import when he saw his pup, his precious girl, safe and sound when he opened the door.

"_Oh_," he breathed. He pressed a hand to his chest, as if he could regulate his sudden kick-started heart rate and erratic breathing from the outside. "Oh, god! Oh, thank god!"

Grace was yanked into a hug, her face smashed against a hard chest she was very familiar with. She tried to free her hands so she could hug back, or maybe pat him reassuringly, but they were pinned to her chest by her mom's desperate, freakishly strong hug. She was practically being smothered, kisses rained on her forehead and hair as barely audible mumblings of 'thank god' were babbled over and over in her mom's soothing gravely voice between loud scenting sniffs. She slowly relaxed a little, content to let him satisfy himself that she was there and safe.

She didn't think she was getting out of this without consequences, not once her mom made sure she was alive and safe enough to be yelled at, but it felt good and she figured she'd better enjoy the hug.

Dean watched, face carefully blank. For a second there, he almost thought Cas saw him... but those gorgeous blue eyes zeroed in on Grace and he might as well've been a broom for all the attention Cas was showing him. He felt a bit like a dick when he realized he was expecting some sort of 'thank you' for bringing his—_their_—daughter home safe and sound.

Which was fucking _stupid_ because she wouldn't have run off in the first place if it weren't for him.

So, he kept quiet. Debating on whether or not he should just slink away and put this whole mess in his rear view or stand there, like an idiot, and wait to see if Cas acknowledged him.

"Geez, mom. I'm fine," Grace mumbled, voice muffled by her mom's sweater. It was the lame one with a big green bird on the front. Ugh. Of all the things to be wearing when she managed to bring Dean over. She closed her mouth in a hurry when she was suddenly yanked back, held at arms length and finally treated to the intense, disappointed expression she'd been dreading. She dropped her gaze and couldn't help the small whine that squeaked at the back of her throat.

Castiel fought the urge to smother his daughter with hugs and kisses again. Now that he knew she was safe, his frustration and fear from the past 38 hours finally came out and he was _this close_ to shaking his pup until her pigtails came out and she promised to never leave the house again.

OK. Maybe not never... At least until she was 40 would be an acceptable compromise.

"Young lady," Castiel said lowly, a hint of a growl in his voice. "What were you _thinking_? Where did you go?"

He ignored the hunched shoulders, slight head tilt and submissive whine. Oh, no. She wasn't getting off that easy. He was irrationally annoyed he'd had to actually phone the police, worried out of his mind and no doubt coming off as some sort of scatter-brained Omega as he basically made a fool of himself babbling and wringing his hands as he spoke to the pair of officers. It was a small comfort that the officer that did most of the talking, carefully taking down his statement, was a Beta and didn't roll her eyes at his perceived horrible parenting, judgmental looks about not having an Alpha to look after him and Grace, or offer him a 'calming shot' because he was obviously distraught.

All and all, almost as trying an ordeal as discovering his daughter gone.

Grace peeked up through her bangs. "I left a note," she muttered.

"A note?" Castiel repeated. He fished the note out of his back pocket, flicking his wrist so it unfolded with a snapped rustle of paper. "Going to see dad. Be back soon, heart Grace," he read aloud. His voice was starting to shake all over again and he couldn't control the way his hand shook slightly or the tight feeling enveloping his entire being as he re-read the words, the same feeling he remembered when he'd looked for his pup and not finding her. But at least his pup was safe. Home and safe. He crushed her to his chest again, squeezing her until she squeaked and pawed at his back to be let go. He reluctantly pulled back to give her a thorough once-over to make sure she was OK.

No visible injuries.

Nothing smelled off.

Except—

He slowly looked up and swallowed thickly, suddenly finding it hard to breath or swallow past the lump in his throat. Oh, god. He knew that scent. He still remembered it... Grace smelled like _Dean_. He flushed, embarrassed to realize the Alpha had been standing there, ignored, the entire time. He cleared his throat a few times until he was reasonably sure he would be able to speak in a semi-normal voice.

"Hello, Dean," Castiel said quietly, but warmly. He knew Grace found her way home safely because of Dean.

"Hey, Cas." Dean ducked his head a little and wiggled his fingers in a sort-of wave, managing a small, sincere smile that Cas returned with a twitch of his lips and a softening around his eyes. He totally did not melt a little under that look, either.

It was an entire minute, Grace counted, before she wriggled and managed to break the staring contest between her mom and Dean. Unfortunately, it had the unwanted affect of reminding her mom she was still there and, as of yet, unpunished. She gulped when blue eyes narrowed a little, that laser-like gaze pinning her to the spot like a bug in a museum case. That was never a good thing.

"Go to your room," Castiel said, forcing himself to let his daughter loose so she could do so. As much as he wanted to bundle his pup close, scent her and make sure she was actually OK, he was still too unsettled at the moment; body twitchy, his emotions all over the place. He needed a moment to calm down so he didn't do anything rash. Plus, Dean was there...

He watched as she got her backpack from Dean with a murmured 'thanks' and slink past him and into the house. He didn't turn until he heard her bedroom door close, thankfully with a respectful, quiet _snick_ instead of the habitual careless slam. He took a deep breath and looked back at Dean, crossing his arms over his chest self-consciously and cupping his elbows, squeezing himself nervously.

He knew his daughter had to've told Dean the truth, at least the parts she knew, and he waited nervously for the Alpha's reaction. He couldn't decide if it would be righteous indignation, rage or disgust. Maybe a blasé nod, a show of indifference before he turned and walked away now that he'd done his good deed. He didn't even know which he'd prefer right now, he was too stressed to really think it through. He blinked when Dean stepped closer, green eyes warmer than he ever had rationally hoped to expect, smile still small but charming, and leaned into his personal space. The nerves seemed to drain out his fingertips and he managed an actual smile in return.

Castiel might've let himself bask in the warm attention for a few long moments, content to inhale and just look while he was afforded the chance. Dean wasn't making any moves to discourage him so he let the moment draw out, leaning in towards the Alpha a little with a soft hum. He'd missed that scent...

"Hello, Dean," he said again, at a loss for anything else to say.

"Hey, Cas," Dean returned, a lopsided grin popping up before he could stop it.

He leaned back just enough to blatantly look Cas over. He looked good. Damn good, even in a goofy sweater. He'd filled out a little bit and he'd aged nicely, smile lines at the corners of his eyes and a dark smudge of stubble on his jaw. He knew it was probably kind of wrong to want to run his tongue along the sharp line of Cas' jaw, maybe nibble on that spot behind his ear, see if it still made Cas melt and practically purr. Or maybe slide his hands under that ridiculous sweater, see if his body was still lithe, lean and muscled. Still warm and pliant. Or if maybe he was softer, just a little in all the right spots, because of Grace.

He didn't, but oh, he still wanted to. He took a step back, realizing he'd been crowding Cas' personal space. Not that the Omega was complaining; Cas never did quite grasp the concept of personal space.

Ω

_Castiel got even closer, his body now pressed tightly along the Alpha's front. He didn't think he'd be so bold, he wasn't usually, but something about the Alpha's scent and the way the Heat was prickling through his veins made had his normal inhibitions vanishing. He wriggled his hips invitingly, smiling a little when the Alpha groaned softly and hands latched onto his hips. The grip was tight and very pleasing, oddly arousing in the dominating way he was held still. It aroused him further and he wriggled again at the sensation of slick increasing. It wasn't enough to drip, yet. But if the Alpha kept up his teasing, it might be._

_He really hoped they'd be somewhere more private by then._

_"Name?" Dean managed to get out through a guttural groan. He refused to fuck nameless Omegas. He wasn't exactly picky about bed partners, and he rarely felt guilty over his random bed-hopping, but it was one of those stupid rules he'd given himself so he didn't feel like a complete slut. "I'm Dean," he offered when the Omega only wriggled against his front again, making a soft needy moan when their cocks brushed together._

_Castiel tried not to make an indigent noise when he was held back from latching onto the Alpha's lips, or his neck—anywhere he could get his lips attached. "Castiel," he finally said when it was clear the Alpha wouldn't let things progress without a name. He realized too late he probably should've made one up. But he didn't care, not when Dean moaned it moments later, his face buried in Castiel's neck._

_He definitely didn't care when it was murmured against his neck between soft inhales and teasing licks, whispered in Dean's hot breath and kissed into his skin with soft, firm lips. _

Ω

Dean looked around, idly wondering just how the hell he found himself in Castiel's living room, holding a steaming mug of tea. He could practically feel the tension radiating off of Cas, so he made the effort to remain relaxed, to not stare; he kept his gaze moving, taking in the small, cozy details of the home. There were tons of pictures, the frames all miss-matched and grouped in clusters on the walls or propped up on pretty much any and all flat surfaces.

Most of them were of Grace at various ages and he found himself drawn to them. A few had Cas in them, looking awkwardly adorable, like he didn't know how to stand or what expression should be on his face. Most had him ducking behind Grace, a hint of his smiling face visible past pig-tailed dark hair or peeking over a tiny, frill-covered shoulder. There were pictures of other people, strangers of course because he didn't freakin' know them. Or Cas.

Like, at all.

The reminder made Dean frown and an annoying clenching sensation tighten his chest for a few moments that he had to breath through before he started freaking out. He cleared his throat and blew on his tea before taking a sip. It was some sort of awful herbal shit that Sam would probably have some sort of health-nut-gasm over and he had to work on actually swallowing it without gagging, instead of spitting it out. He was debating on what he should say to break the tension when Cas spoke first, no longer averting his eyes and looking right at him.

He certainly hadn't forgotten that intense blue-eyed gaze.

"I'm embarrassed I haven't said thank you yet," Castiel said quietly. He could feel his face get warm, but it was mostly out of embarrassment and not the stronger-than-ever attraction for Dean. That was still there, unsurprisingly, but he was able to think through that. For now. He tried not to look Dean up and down, having already done so when Dean's attention was elsewhere, but it was rather difficult.

Because, dear god, the years have been very kind to Dean. The near-pretty looks of youth were now rugged, stubbled and weathered just right to add character and interest, evolving into something sinfully gorgeous and almost stereotypically Alpha it tweaked the primordial Omega centers of his brain. Dean's body looked a bit bigger, thicker, more muscled and capable with maturity. He said a silent prayer of thanks his Heat was very far away... Because his memories of Dean, naked and wonderfully _Alpha_, came roaring back before he could stop them. Usually he happily reminisced, content to let memories warm and fulfill him. But that seemed unwise with Dean _right there_. Right there in the flesh, form-fitting heather grey Henley, denim covered bow-legged legs and all.

Dean couldn't help it, he blinked a few times, brain forgetting how to form words for a moment in his surprise. "Oh. Uh. You're welcome?" he half-asked, half-said with a small shrug. "I kinda thought you'd wanna kick my ass, actually." Cas' head cocked to the side a little, eyebrows pinched with confusion, and Dean's fingers tightened around the warm ceramic of his mug so he didn't do something dumb. Like leap over there and kiss Cas stupid. Or yank the Omega into his lap and see if he still smelled like ocean and oak and cherries. He hastily looked away and took another sip of tea, mostly just because it was there and for something to do, and nearly gagged.

"I don't understand," Castiel admitted, shifting on his feet. He owed Dean more than a simple 'thank you'; he didn't think he could ever repay him for bringing Grace back, safe and sound. He forced the 'what if's away, refusing to let his over-active imagination take him down that path that would do nothing but make him sweat and consider locking his daughter in a tower like a damn fairytale princess.

Dean sat on the sofa and carefully set his mug down on the coffee table, gently pushing it far from his reach. He didn't want to risk another accidental sip of that stuff, as it was he was pretty sure he'd be tasting it for a week as it was. He rubbed at his hair, feeling swamped with guilt and something hot and prickly he couldn't even identify. Regret possibly...

"Cas, man, she wouldn't have skipped out if it weren't for me."

"Oh," Castiel said slowly. His brows pinched together as he took in the expression of guilt on Dean's face, his slightly stooped posture. He didn't quite understand why Dean felt bad, where the guilt was coming from; Dean hadn't known _and_ he made sure Grace got back safely. "No. Well, yes—I suppose, technically. But it's not as if you had any control over the situation. Or even knew it would _become_ a situation," he added, feeling sheepish and the heat of shame and guilt flooded back into his face. "You are at no fault here, Dean."

He had tried not to let himself think about what could happen if Dean had found out about Grace sooner. But it was inevitable sometimes, especially when his hormones seemed to take over his rational thoughts during his pregnancy—much too often for his liking. Occasionally, his daydreams consisted of them being Mated and live happily ever after; those usually came near the end of his pregnancy or when he was frustrated with being a single Omega (like when Grace was teething or when his pup cried for nearly a week straight with colic and he'd given anything to have someone there to help him at 2 am). Other times, even if part of him knew it wasn't like Dean, he imagined the Alpha going into some sort of Alpha rage, tossing him around, calling him names and demanding his daughter.

Most times, Castiel just pushed the thoughts away before he could dwell on it; the chances of Dean finding out were incredibly small, after all. It was one of the reasons he hadn't lied to Grace about who her other father was. He hadn't learned much about Dean Winchester, but he told his daughter everything he knew (and if he did a little research here and there, no one was the wiser). He'd also made it clear Dean didn't know he'd sired a child, probably out of some misguided attempt in keeping his daughter from thinking she'd been abandoned by a boorish Alpha or a mistake.

He nearly shook his head; he should've realized Grace had been up to something when she'd started asking all those questions recently.

He had been waiting for Dean to bring this up. He'd been dreading it since he noticed Dean standing next to his daughter. He was admittedly a little surprised to see a definite lack of anger or judgement on the Alpha's face. Just a slight pinching of Dean's eyebrows; curious and just a little annoyed. But first things first—

"I'm sorry, Dean."

Dean blinked a few times. He was actually kinda glad he'd set his tea down because he was sure he would've spilled that stinking crap all over himself. While he was relieved to escape the chance of being burned, he was happier he wouldn't smell like that. "What?"

"I said I'm sorry, Dean," Castiel repeated, gaze flicking away for a moment. He squared his shoulders and met Dean's eyes again. "For not telling you. About Grace."

Dean swallowed a few times. He kind of—Well, no; he _really_, wanted to rant about how unfair it was. Maybe punch a wall or just walk away, walk off the urge to do something stupid. But he really couldn't; not until he heard Cas' reasons. He wanted to be fair because there had to be a good reason for it. Right?

"Why do it then?" he asked, annoyed but unsurprised his voice came out rough and ragged with anger and confusion. Like he gave a shit.

Dean didn't think he could accept an apology, regardless of how sincere it sounded, until he had more details. Maybe it was stupid Alpha pride, but there was no way he'd say 'hey, no problemo man' with a smile on his face if Cas thought he'd be a shitty father and just wanted to avoid any possibilities of him fucking up their kid or something. There wasn't a damn thing he could do to change it, but he still wanted to know.

"I had to," Castiel admitted softly, looking away. He took a few deep breathes, breathing past old memories, and met Dean's gaze levelly. "My brother, the Alpha of our pack since my parents died, insisted I be Mated. I hadn't found one of my own choosing by my twentieth birthday and he'd given me an ultimatum." His lips quirked in a wry smile for only a moment. He knew it was unconventional for him to be unmated at such a late age, most Omega's finding theirs and being fully Mated by the time they hit 18, but he hadn't especially wanted an Alpha. He still hadn't, even with Michael's insistence. He'd spent most of that year in a blind panic, looking for ways out of it, but most Alphas that knew him wouldn't go near him out of fear of Michael's wrath.

Gabriel had tried to help but Michael had kept a very close eye on them both, making things incredibly difficult. The night he'd met Dean, he'd managed to sneak out like a rebellious teenager by luck alone.

"So. I found another option," Castiel said, shrugging one shoulder, his gaze heavy on Dean's with implication. Buoyed by Dean's lack of anger, he slowly sat on the sofa, a cushion away from the Alpha. It didn't take long for him to relax into the cushions, soothed by Dean's scent (even if it was a little sharp with emotion) and calm posture. He shifted in his seat, moving a little closer.

Dean nodded, already feeling a low-grade nauseated feeling setting in that had nothing to do with the weird-ass hippie tea. He remembered that night; he'd gone out, head throbbing and sick of the bickering between his dad and Sam, needing to get out and away for a few hours. The tiny apartment they'd been renting at the time had been too damn small, the walls practically shrinking in, the air cloying with the heavy stink of Alpha anger and teenaged Omega angst and fear.

He felt terrible, leaving Sam to their dad's yelling but he knew Sam would hole up in his room and that they'd never come to physical blows. As big an asshole as his dad could be, Dean knew he'd never lay a violent hand on an Omega—on Sam. He'd agreed with Sam and telling his father angrily that Omegas should go to fucking college if they wanted to, had earned him his father's fist to the jaw and he'd been done.

Honestly, it was probably by only good luck alone that Castiel had approached after he'd mellowed out, downed a few shots of cheap whiskey and taken his lingering aggression out on some assholes at the pool table. The couple hundred bucks he'd won off them had helped lift his mood considerably, too.

Dean sidled closer on the sofa but kept quiet. Cas wasn't looking away anymore and it almost felt like the last few years hadn't happened and he was dealing with that Omega that had social issues and difficulties with personal boundaries. It was kinda nice, really, and he was self-deluded enough to enjoy the moment. He tried not to think about how nice it was to be close to Cas again, just did it and enjoyed it.

But Cas didn't continue, he was just fiddling with his mug handle and staring at Dean with those open, intense blue eyes. Like he was supposed to guess the rest. Dean probably could; he'd met enough Alphas that took their roles too seriously, ones that were stuck in old school ways, thought they knew all, didn't bother to ask what their pack wanted before making decisions. But he nodded encouragingly, shuffling even closer until their knees were touching.

"I didn't want the Mate Michael chose for me," Castiel admitted, looking into his mug. "He was a cruel Alpha. Older and entirely unappealing on every level." He tensed a little, bracing himself for Dean's criticism about how Omegas don't always get a choice in such matters and should just accept it, suck it up and do as their told. But Dean didn't say anything like that, he just made a noise of understanding, face pinched up with disgust as if thinking of having no choice in his own Mate. Dean shook his head a little, his face cleared, and he gave Castiel that open expression again, waiting for him to continue.

But he couldn't. He was practically gaping at the way Dean wasn't yelling, wasn't calling him an uppity Omega, wasn't cursing him a whore for finding a random Alpha to pup him so he wouldn't be forced to Mate and Bond with another. Wasn't saying anything like the things he'd heard before. He blinked a few times, leaning closer and studying Dean intently. Intently enough the Alpha fidgeted a little in his seat, fingers rubbing along his denim-covered knees in a nervous gesture, eyes flicking away briefly.

"That doesn't bother you," Castiel finally said, voice as flat as he could make it. He'd known enough about Dean to think him a suitable sire, a caring Alpha, but he hadn't known it would be to this extent.

Dean shrugged at the non-question. "No? I mean, I sorta get why some dickbags still do that shit to their Omegas, but I think it's—" He cut himself off, not wanting to get into out-dated social bullshit and equality discussions. Not when he knew Cas was asking because he didn't quite believe him. "Look, my brother is an Omega and I totally get the protective urges, to want to do what's best for 'im because I still do, but that King Shit Alpha stuff is just taking it too far." He nodded when Cas just gave him that shocked expression again.

Yeah, he could see how some Alphas would think they're doing right by their pack by doing stupid shit like that. He'd even been tempted to do it himself a few times thinking he wouldn't worry about Sam as much, both as an Alpha and a big brother, but there was a limit to that sorta thing.

"I would rip anyone's throat out if they thought they could do anything to him just 'cause he's an Omega," he said softly, fingers curling into his palms. Sam definitely could handle himself, and good luck to any bastard that got Jess' Mate instincts ruffled, but he wasn't always so damn tall and vaguely Sasquatchian. Dean spent a good part of Sam's early teenaged years growing an ulcer as he tried to balance his protective Alpha urges and Sam's attempts to 'find himself' and his stubborn protests for freedom. "So. No, it doesn't bother me that you didn't want some dick Alpha picked out for you."

"Alright," Castiel murmured, trying to smother the urge to shift even closer to Dean. He wasn't able to, not completely, and his leg moved until it was pressed along Dean's. He cleared his throat, his gaze dropping to his lap. "I figured if I was... compromised, Michael couldn't continue with his plans." He'd been raised in such a typical manner, to obey and remember his role, but he the tiny spark of rebellion had gone aflame once he found out who he'd be Mated to. He grimaced a little, remembering that part of Michael's demands; remain 'pure' for his Alpha, submit without question or hesitation and do his Omega-ly duties whenever asked of him.

His brother had been furious, of course, nearly tried to enforce an early termination when he'd learned of Castiel's indiscretions and impending pregnancy. But without Dean's approval, there was little Michael could do beyond void his contract with an angry Zachariah and give Castiel a long speech about obligations, Omega and familial responsibilities and his many disappointments. The later expulsion from the pack was expected, but at least Michael ensured he had a small apartment and allowance until he could get on his own feet.

Castiel had been grateful Michael didn't forbid his siblings from contacting him, as well. He truly would have been lost without their aid and support.

Dean took a deep breath and counted to 10 in his head. Three times. His hands wanted to clench into fists, hit something (preferably Michael-shaped) bloody, but he was pretty sure Cas would think the aggression was aimed at him. At the very least, be completely freaked out he went freakin' crazy on his knick-knacks and kick him out for being so unstable. Nobody wanted a red-flagging Alpha around, especially with a pup so close-by.

With that thought, it was easier than expected to let the anger go. It was still there, simmering at the back of his mind, but he wasn't twitching and fidgety with violent urges. Cas looked calm enough, even though he had to be stinking up the place, so he considered it a win.

"So, you wandered off—in Heat—to find the nearest Alpha?" Dean asked, a low growl in his voice. He couldn't imagine what it felt like to think there were so few options to choose from; random stranger to knock you up or Mate and Bond unwillingly to some repugnant asshat. His eyes closed involuntarily at the thought of what could've happened if Cas had found another Alpha, one a bit more old-school or cruel. Not that he was winning any humanitarian awards any time soon, but he thought himself a decent enough guy.

"Basically," Castiel admitted. Dean made a choked noise and he finally looked up. "I didn't want to... unwillingly force an Alpha into further commitment. I knew it wouldn't be hard to find an Alpha for a night, hopefully get what I needed. I know it sounds crude, but it's not exactly a baseless stereotype that Alphas sleep around indiscriminately." Dean gave him a look that was an odd cross between contrite and offended; like he couldn't argue the point but still didn't like it being pointed out he, and other Alphas, was basically being called a slut. He nearly pointed out Dean _was_ that sort of Alpha, he'd very willingly mated a perfect stranger, but he didn't want to alienate him or cause tension between them.

He was forever grateful of that fact, actually, and he had no wish for Dean to think he was being contrary or all that bothered by it.

"I did have a few other requirements, you know," Castiel added, narrowing his eyes a little and feeling oddly defensive when Dean gave him a blank look, one that he was interpreting as Castiel being a hypocrite; he'd slept with a perfect stranger, as well. He'd had standards for that first and only time, though, but he did see Dean's point and figured it was best not to argue it. He was certainly no more virtuous than Dean and he did see his goal through. "I knew the chances of me pupping were high, so I made sure I chose a—"

Dean leaned forward, his eyes narrowing, when Cas suddenly stopped talking. He leaned back quickly when he realized Cas was blushing and chewing on his bottom lip a little. Shit. He should probably move over, because he was pretty sure Cas wouldn't appreciate him getting any closer. His gaze was still firmly on that pink flesh pulled teasingly taut and trapped between Cas' white teeth, unable to look away. He remembered what those lips felt like. What that tongue felt like...

"Chose a _what_?" he finally asked, unable to contain his curiosity. Shit, but Cas smelled good, even reeking of embarrassment.

"A good Alpha," Castiel murmured quietly, looking shyly up at Dean through his lashes.

Dean felt himself preen, shoulders snapping back, chest puffing and head lifting a little, and was completely unprepared for it. As soon as he realized what he was doing, he forced himself to relax. He was suddenly right next to Cas, pressed even closer so their upper thighs were touching as well. Shit, he'd practically had Cas in his lap...

"What makes a good Alpha, Cas?" he asked quietly, voice low and almost a purr. He liked the idea of Cas thinking he was good. Worthy. Even if he had some major doubts that Cas had known him long enough to know a damn thing...

Dean nearly groaned when Cas' scent thickened around him, a hint of sweetness filtering through the lingering embarrassment and uncertainty that was hard to resist.

"Attractive. Strong. Caring... Kind," Castiel said softly, reiterating his list from long ago. He peeked up at Dean through his lashes again, well aware he was being the very picture of a coy Omega but unable to help himself. He wondered if this was his chance to keep the lovely Alpha... He looked away before that ridiculous thought could fully form and took a few hasty gulps of tea, trying to clear his senses of Dean.

Dean shuffled closer, encouraged by Cas' small smile and the way he was practically fluttering those damn lashes and flashing him those blue as fuck eyes at him. It did all sorts of hot things to his insides. "I am all that," he agreed, smirking a little and winking playfully when Cas finally looked at him again. Cas looked nervous and he backed off a little, sliding his hands along his thighs until he could grip his knees so he wouldn't touch.

But as fun as this all was, and as tempting, as this all was, he was still left unsettled. He eased off a little, just enough so he wasn't swimming in Cas' scent and going abso-fucking-lutely _crazy_ with it. "So, what did you do?" he asked. He knew it wasn't easy for Unmated Omegas, especially if their pack didn't approve. Most got kicked out, left to their own devices for some stupid reason (and he had a feeling Cas' dick of a brother would do it). "I mean, after the—" He waved a hand in the vague direction of Grace's room, indicating... Well. Everything.

He viciously smashed down the urge to growl and yell at Cas for not letting him know, not giving him the chance to show the Omega he was a good provider. A good, _worthy_ Alpha. He would have. Cas and Grace wouldn't have had to have any of the troubles he could only imagine. He took a deep breath and reminded himself that Cas had his reasons and he was going to respect them, goddammit. He couldn't exactly argue that 10 years ago he'd have reacted all that positively to finding out he'd left Cas with a souvenir of their awesome night together.

"Gabriel helped me," Castiel said, leaning back and taking a few breathes, unconsciously mimicking Dean. It had been too long since he'd smelled an Alpha as wonderful as Dean. "My brother," he clarified when Dean looked at him, a questioning scowl on his face. He smiled when the scowl smoothed out and Dean nodded his understanding. "He's one of those lucky Betas that can do whatever he wants," he said with a smile. "And he enjoys doing just that. My other brother, Balthazar, helped when he could."

Dean nodded slowly and let everything sink in. "So, basically, I have a big ass thank you for Gabriel and Balthazar?" Cas nodded, a small smile on his face. "And a punch in the throat for Mikey."

"No," Castiel said, trying not to laugh in his shock or be completely horrified at the very idea of Dean attacking his eldest brother. He wasn't exactly sure which Alpha he should be worried for if they were to get into a physical altercation. An embarrassingly large part of him had a hard time not wriggling around with glee at the thought of Dean defending him, pummeling Michael and making him wish he'd never tried to run his life.

"Why not?" Dean asked, getting into Cas face a little and glowering. He nudged at Cas' shoulder with his index finger, "That fucker pretty much ruined your life, Cas." He winced when Castiel looked away, a sad expression flitting across his face before clearing of any emotion at all. Shit. He fucking sucked at this sorta shit... He should've taken Sam with him. Sam wouldn't be sucking so damn bad; Sam could actually talk to people, could have a legit chick-flick moment with Cas and do that Omega bonding thing. (Yeah, even if it meant they'd both glare at him and roll their eyes at him being a bone-head Alpha.)

He slowly reached out but dropped his hand, not wanting to make things worse with any unwanted touching. He fisted his hands on top of his thighs. "Shit, Cas. I didn't— I'm not— I didn't mean—"

Castiel held up a hand, cutting off Dean's painful attempts at speaking. "It's fine, Dean."

"No, dammit!" Dean nearly shouted. He forced himself to calm the hell down, unwilling to freak Cas out even more than he already was. That sharp tang of sadness in Cas' scent had to fucking _go_. "I didn't meant it like that..." He huffed out a sharp breath of frustration and rubbed a hand over his hair, pulling a little before letting go, his hands smacking his thighs as they flopped down uselessly. "I really suck at this kinda stuff, okay?" Cas nodded slowly, expression shifting into something patient, calmly expectant and a tiny bit amused. He could work with that... "I meant, like, you woulda been able to get a proper Mate and stuff. One that you'd wanna Bond with, make a pack with, all that good stuff you deserve. Not that you shouldn't've had Grace. Or, uh, done anything you've enjoyed since then. Or, maybe even... You know, met me," he added lamely, shrugging one shoulder.

Because, really, he wouldn't blame Cas one freakin' bit if he had some regrets on that last one. As much as he wished he'd known all this sooner, he also had to admit 10 years ago he wouldn't have reacted like this. He was happy to bed hop and not worry about responsibilities like a mate or a pup. He'd even convinced himself he wasn't cut out for that kind of life. Now, though... He sort of hoped he could at least try it. He could still charm his way around.

Castiel smiled despite himself. "I'd give up neither experience, Dean," he said softly but insistently. He'd never regret his pup or the Alpha that knotted him to conceive her. Dean might not be eloquent but he was sincere and caring, giving and sweet-natured. The old regret of leaving that morning wasn't new but a futile thing to worry over. He'd learned to let the past stay in the past. And now... well, maybe he didn't have to make that same mistake again.

He fiddled with the handle of his mug before meeting Dean's eyes. "Did you want to stay for dinner?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I would, Cas," Dean answered immediately, smile growing. He ducked his head, trying to hide the fact he was out-right grinning now. Cas' shy, warm little smile did all sorts of stupid things to his insides and he was pretty sure he was still smiling like an idiot.


End file.
